Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) Shares Gap Up Following Earnings Beat

Pool Co. (NASDAQ:POOL)’s stock price gapped up prior to trading on Thursday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The stock had previously closed at $340.87, but opened at $357.89. Pool shares last traded at $338.09, with a volume of 121,687 shares changing hands.

The specialty retailer reported $0.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.89 by $0.08. Pool had a net margin of 8.42% and a return on equity of 31.89%. The company had revenue of $987.48 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $961.04 million.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

POOL has been the subject of several analyst reports. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Pool from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on shares of Pool from $370.00 to $360.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, February 4th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on shares of Pool from $335.00 to $340.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, October 28th. Loop Capital upped their target price on shares of Pool from $345.00 to $395.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Oppenheimer upped their target price on shares of Pool from $380.00 to $386.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, October 28th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $368.00.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in POOL. Creative Planning boosted its stake in Pool by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 5,682 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $2,141,000 after acquiring an additional 59 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its stake in Pool by 188.2% during the 3rd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 709 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $267,000 after acquiring an additional 463 shares during the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its stake in Pool by 19.2% during the 3rd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 4,457 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $1,679,000 after acquiring an additional 719 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Pool by 31.9% during the 3rd quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,198 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $828,000 after acquiring an additional 531 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Private Advisor Group LLC boosted its stake in Pool by 27.3% during the 3rd quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 1,562 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $589,000 after acquiring an additional 335 shares during the last quarter. 98.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Pool Stock Down 0.1 %

The company has a market capitalization of $13.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.60, a PEG ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 1.03. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $343.47 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $355.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 2.39 and a quick ratio of 0.77.

Pool Company Profile

Pool Corporation distributes swimming pool supplies, equipment, and related leisure products in the United States and internationally. The company offers maintenance products, including chemicals, supplies, and pool accessories; repair and replacement parts for pool equipment, such as cleaners, filters, heaters, pumps, and lights; and building materials, such as concrete, plumbing and electrical components, functional and decorative pool surfaces, decking materials, tiles, hardscapes, and natural stones for pool installations and remodeling.